Chapter 403: Chapter 401: Show her, or she’ll think Lu Jingwei is afraid of her.
Interesting, isn’t it?
Huo Mingyan stood behind the writing desk, lowering her eyes as her wrist moved skillfully with the brush. All she could feel was absurdity.
She spoke softly, "She’s just an orphan with no family to rely on, reduced to being a mere concubine, and yet she can stir up such waves in the harem. Even Consort Rong and her sisters can’t deal with her... In my opinion, it’s because she has lost propriety. The rules of this palace need to be reestablished!"
Huo Mingxu stared at her blankly.
After a while, he couldn’t help himself and burst into laughter, clutching his stomach: "Sis, ever since you became the Empress, you’ve turned into a completely different person! Back when we were outside the border, what crazy things didn’t we do? Spitting into Aunt’s teacup behind her back, secretly swapping out ancestral tablets with wooden plaques we carved ourselves—at that time, you didn’t talk about rules or propriety! Do you know how funny you look now, with that stern expression on your face? Hahaha!"
Huo Mingyan’s expression turned icy, as chilling as water: "Huo Mingxu!"
Seeing she was genuinely angry, Huo Mingxu coughed awkwardly to cover up, reluctantly restraining his laughter: "Alright, Sis, I won’t laugh anymore. Don’t get upset."
Huo Mingyan set down the brush and said coldly, "The foolishness we did outside the border was because we were young and ignorant. Now that I am a married woman, I naturally cannot behave like a child anymore."
"Sis," Huo Mingxu rested his chin in his hand, "you seem to really dislike Princess Zhaoning."
"I do not dislike her; I dislike anyone who disrupts order."
Huo Mingxu seemed half-understanding. After hesitating for a moment, he asked, "Then what are you going to do? Summon Princess Zhaoning and lecture her?"
Lecture her?
A trace of disdain flickered in Huo Mingyan’s eyes.
As the Queen, how could she lower herself to personally summon the concubine of a Third-Rank official?
To spread such gossip would be utterly beneath her dignity.
If her cousin found out she scolded Shen Yinning, he might think she was petty and jealous.
Her gaze grew colder and sharper: "Let’s see what else she plans to do first. I’ve heard she’s a woman of loose morals. If she shamelessly tries to use this chance to seduce my cousin during her stay in the palace, causing chaos in the harem and corrupting the other concubines, I will certainly not let her off lightly!"
Huo Mingxu rested his chin again.
Within Kunning Palace, the lights sparkled brilliantly, gilded in gold and jade.
His elder sister was dressed in splendid, regal attire, the golden phoenix on her hairpin radiating a dazzling brilliance.
She was undeniably more beautiful than when they were outside the border, yet he felt something about his elder sister had changed.
"And you," Huo Mingyan suddenly frowned, shifting her gaze toward him, "This is, after all, the Capital, not the outskirts. As the heir of the Huo Family, you should read more books and learn proper manners. Don’t go around waving blades and lacking refinement like before. And as a relative of the royal family, you’re a man; staying in the inner palace overnight is inappropriate and must not happen again."
Huo Mingxu pouted a little in frustration.
Although he knew his sister was right, he had no friends in the Capital; all his good buddies had been left behind on the frontier.
If his sister didn’t let him linger here, where else could he go?
The Capital felt like a square, confining cage, molding its inhabitants into square, rule-abiding shapes.
But he didn’t like that.
He missed the days when he and his sister galloped on horseback and hunted hawks on the grasslands.
For the next three days, the harem was relatively peaceful.
Chunxi Palace.
Shen Yunxi was the first to grow restless: "Weren’t we supposed to use the Empress to get rid of Shen Yinning? We’ve already brought Shen Yinning into the palace. Why hasn’t Huo Mingyan made a move yet?"
Shen Xinya was sitting on an embroidery stool, working on a handkerchief.
When she heard this, she raised her gaze to look at her elder sister.
Her third finger was missing, yet she still had the leisure to eat an egg yolk steamed cake, crumbs scattering all over her mouth.
Foolish as she was, she thought everyone else was as foolish as her.
Did she really think someone as calculating and deeply reserved as Huo Mingyan would immediately act against Shen Yinning?
Shen Xinya lowered her gaze again, continuing to embroider a mandarin duck stitch by stitch: "The Empress values her position. She would not make a move against Shen Yinning without reason. In my opinion, we should give her a little push."
"How do we push her?"
Shen Xinya’s expression remained unreadable, but a faint crease appeared between her brows.
What use was her elder sister?
She served no purpose except to ask! Ask! Ask!
She replied, "Sister, you could host a small banquet in the palace. Under the pretense of inviting the harem sisters, you could include the Empress and Shen Yinning, letting them encounter each other. I think our dear Empress Huo isn’t one to take things lightly. The moment she sees Shen Yinning’s beauty, her wariness of Shen Yinning will multiply a hundredfold. And if some friction happens during the banquet, do you really think Empress Huo wouldn’t take action against her?"
That night.
Furong Palace.
Behind the palace grew a cluster of autumn chrysanthemums. Though not rare varieties, they bloomed with enchanting beauty.
The shimmering reflection on the pond rippled into the hall, merging with the moonlight and creating a dance of gold and silver that resembled the fabled Dragon Palace Water Hall.
Haitang attended to Shen Yinning, helping her remove her hairpins, her voice lowered: "After supper, a messenger arrived from Chunxi Palace. They’re hosting an autumn crab banquet and inviting you, the Empress, and the other concubines. This servant finds the gesture suspicious. Perhaps it would be better for you to claim crabs are too cold and unsuitable for pregnancy and refuse?"
"I’m already residing in this palace. I can refuse once, but can I refuse a hundred times?" Shen Yinning removed her earrings. "I’ll go."
She, too, wished to see what kind of woman Lu Ying had rightfully married and crowned as Empress.
As the mistress and servant conversed, Lu Ying’s imperial palanquin happened to pass behind the palace.
Gui Quan observed the increasingly remote path they were taking. Glancing at the brightly lit Furong Palace nearby and then at Lu Ying, who sat on the palanquin with his eyes closed, he couldn’t help but ask the bearers, "Why did you take this route?"
The bearer replied honestly, "The main path is under renovation, so we had to take a detour."
Lu Ying opened his eyes.
His gaze fell directly onto the brilliantly illuminated Furong Palace.
As the palanquin approached, he could clearly see the light reflecting off the water, the floral shadows swaying. Inside the palace, a young woman in a light pink satin loungewear-style ruqun was sitting before a makeup mirror, combing her silky hair. Her delicate features were radiant, her almond-shaped eyes brimming with allure.
Her skin was as white as snow, the creamy whiteness extending down her slender neck and collarbones, disappearing alluringly into her garments.
His gaze deepened, and the hand toying with the Moyu Ring tightened subconsciously.
Noticing his expression, Gui Quan immediately understood he was looking at the woman in Furong Palace.
He quickly slapped the shoulder of a bearer: "Idiot! Do you realize how far off course we are? Are there no other routes in this palace? Turn around immediately and take a different path!"
The bearer stuttered in agreement and was about to change direction when Lu Ying said indifferently, "No need, just pass quickly."
After all, it was merely passing by her residence.
If they turned back halfway, she might think he feared her.
Inside Furong Palace.
Wei Yu was the first to notice the approaching imperial palanquin.
She reminded, "My lady, look over there!"
Shen Yinning turned to glance outside.
Lu Ying was now the ruler of the nation, after all. She put down her brush and was about to rise to pay her respects when the palanquin abruptly sped up as if fleeing from a ghost, passing rapidly in front of her.
Shen Yinning: "..."
Was she a ghost?
On the palanquin.
Lu Ying calmed the fleeting imbalance in his heartbeat, maintaining a composed expression.
De Sun couldn’t help but ask, "Your Majesty, we were walking openly. Why did we suddenly speed up?"
The imperial palanquin was being carried so fast that even he had to jog to keep up!
Lu Ying replied, "I don’t want any entanglement with her. Passing through swiftly will avoid giving her the wrong impression that I still care for her."
Inwardly, he thought to himself: Another round I’ve won against her.